environmentally friendly

Well, I’m sure I talk about this subject every year, but it’s worth mentioning again – it’s Recyclemania time!! From February 3rd through March 30th, Fontbonne is in a nation-wide competition with other colleges to see who can pound for pound recycle the most. Our output is weighed each week, and we get to see how we stack up with the other schools as the contest progresses.

Now I won’t lie – Fontbonne’s recycling program is still rather in its infancy, and I would be pretty surprised if we blew anyone out of the water right now. However, we are doing better each year we participate, and the contest is a great excuse to publicize our recycling facilities! (Kind of like what I’m doing right now).

Also, we’ll be having a few activities – I have some neat-o giveaways, surveys for people to take, and there will be a recycling scavenger hunt later in March. FUN FUN FUN!!

Anyway, I strongly encourage you to be extra aware of your trash vs. recycling output these next few weeks, and you can help us make a difference! Because even if we don’t win the competition… any recycling we do is a win for the environment!!

Hopefully you saw me and my fellow Environmental Clubbers selling “Griffin Go Boxes” last week. But just in case you didn’t, we’ll be back again on the 24th and 26th in DSAC and Ryan Hall!!

Why the increased publicity for Fontbonne’s favorite reusable takeout item? Because starting October 15th, Fontbonne is completely removing styrofoam from its dining facilities! We will have a more sustainable (but still disposable) to-go container available, but there will be an extra surcharge each time you get one. So why not invest $5 now and have a box you can use over and over again? For those unfamiliar with the Griffin Go Box program, here’s how it works:

-Purchase a Go Box/Go Box Card for a one time fee of $5
-Take your Griffin Go Box card to Ryan Dining Hall or DSAC Griffin Grill
-Exchange your Griffin Go Box card for a Griffin Go Box
-Return the used Griffin Go Box to Ryan or Griffin Grill and exchange it for a card or another box
-Repeat!!

It’s so easy! As I said, there will be a special sale going on during lunchtime this week, but Go Boxes are always available for purchase during dining hours at Ryan Hall. Get yours soon!

The end of the semester is quickly approaching, and if you live on campus like me, you may already be packing things up in preparation for the long trek home. But wait, what’s that hiding in the back of your closet? A hairdryer that hasn’t really worked since March, but what can you do with it? Or what about the microwave that doesn’t cook food right and really isn’t worth hauling across the country in the back of your car? Do you have any outdated phones or ipods laying around unused?

Well, luckily enough, computers, DVDs, music players, speakers, printers, game consoles, refrigerators, blenders, microwaves, bread makers, hair dryers, dish washers, vacuum cleaners, irons, and pretty much any other electronic device or appliance you can think of can be sustainably recycled, creating less waste and protecting the environment. And it gets better! Fontbonne is providing you with the perfect opportunity to get rid of all your electronics and appliances that would normally get kicked to the curb.

Tuesday, May 8th from 11am-1pm in St. Joseph Hall parking lot, Fontbonne University will be providing a recycling collection for all these items and more, courtesy of Midwest Recycling Center. MRC is a certified electronics and appliance recycler, and they accept all kinds of things! Check out their website for more info: http://www.midwrc.net

Do you like to shop? I love to shop. Unfortunately, constantly buying new things and throwing out the old is not a very eco-friendly move. So can one be both an environmentalist and a shopaholic? Of course. The first step is getting rid of the things you no longer need or want – but just because you don’t want them doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t! So donate your old clothes, games, toys, electronics, furniture, etc. so they can find a happy new home, or find a recycling center that will accept items that are beyond repair. A quick Google search can work wonders for finding ways to recycle things.

Now for the fun part – buying more things! There are tons of antique markets, consignment shops, and second-hand stores near Fontbonne, and they are perfect for finding one of a kind items. One store I’d like to highlight is [RE]FRESH, which happens to be right across from another shopping mecca, the St. Louis Galleria. [RE]FRESH is a clothing store that benefits foster and adoptive care children. They accept clothing donations from the public, and sell them at a very reduced rate to these children, who don’t have much to spend on clothing. However, the public is also able to shop for clothing (also at very reasonable prices) and the proceeds go back to the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition. They have a wide variety of clothing for men, women, and children, and the money goes to a great cause! So support the community and the environment – go shopping today!

Hello! My name is Jordyn Weiss. I am a transfer student here at Fontbonne University. I am a junior and will be getting my degree in Fashion Merchandising. I am originally from Farmington, Missouri which is about an hour south of St. Louis. I work for Walgreens as a photo specialist/beauty advisor (in University City on Delmar) and I am also a freelance make-up artist for a company called Laura Mercier cosmetics. I love fashion, make-up, social media, cats, coffee, and hanging out with friends. If you would like to get to know more about me don't hesitate to follow me on Twitter or Instagram!
Twitter: @jordynweiss
Instagram: @_talkthattalk_